Search results for "ATR"
showing 10 items of 21758 documents
Exome sequencing in congenital ataxia identifies two new candidate genes and highlights a pathophysiological link between some congenital ataxias and…
2019
To investigate the genetic basis of congenital ataxias (CAs), a unique group of cerebellar ataxias with a nonprogressive course, in 20 patients from consanguineous families, and to identify new CA genes. Singleton -exome sequencing on these 20 well-clinically characterized CA patients. We first checked for rare homozygous pathogenic variants, then, for variants from a list of genes known to be associated with CA or very early-onset ataxia, regardless of their mode of inheritance. Our replication cohort of 180 CA patients was used to validate the new CA genes. We identified a causal gene in 16/20 families: six known CA genes (7 patients); four genes previously implicated in another neurologi…
Genome-wide association scan identifies new variants associated with a cognitive predictor of dyslexia
2019
Developmental dyslexia (DD) is one of the most prevalent learning disorders, with high impact on school and psychosocial development and high comorbidity with conditions like attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, and anxiety. DD is characterized by deficits in different cognitive skills, including word reading, spelling, rapid naming, and phonology. To investigate the genetic basis of DD, we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of these skills within one of the largest studies available, including nine cohorts of reading-impaired and typically developing children of European ancestry (N = 2562–3468). We observed a genome-wide significant effect (p < 1 × 10…
Synergistic action of CB1 and 5-HT2B receptors in preventing pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus in rats
2019
Abstract Endocannabinoids (eCBs) and serotonin (5-HT) play a neuromodulatory role in the central nervous system. Both eCBs and 5-HT regulate neuronal excitability and their pharmacological potentiation has been shown to control seizures in pre-clinical and human studies. Compelling evidence indicates that eCB and 5-HT systems interact to modulate several physiological and pathological brain functions, such as food intake, pain, drug addiction, depression, and anxiety. Nevertheless, there is no evidence of an eCB/5-HT interaction in experimental and human epilepsies, including status epilepticus (SE). Here, we performed video-EEG recording in behaving rats treated with the pro-convulsant age…
12q14.3 microdeletion involving HMGA2 gene cause a Silver-Russell syndrome-like phenotype: a case report and review of the literature
2020
Abstract Background Silver-Russell Syndrome (SRS) is a genetic disorder characterized by intrauterine and postnatal growth restriction and normal head circumference with consequent relative macrocephaly. Addictional findings are protruding forehead in early life, body asymmetry (of upper and lower limbs) and substantial feeding difficulties. Although several genetic mechanisms that cause the syndrome are known, more than 40% of patients with a SRS-like phenotype remain without an etiological diagnosis. In the last few years, different clinical reports have suggested that mutations or deletions of the HMGA2 gene can be responsible for a SRS-like phenotype in patients with negative results of…
Endothelial Dab1 signaling orchestrates neuro-glia-vessel communication in the central nervous system.
2018
Developing the bloodbrain barrier During development, signals need to be dynamically integrated by endothelial cells, neurons, and glia to achieve functional neuro-glia-vascular units in the central nervous system. During cortical development, neuronal Dab1 and ApoER2 receptors respond to a guidance cue called reelin. Studying mice, Segarra et al. found that Dab1 and ApoER2 are also expressed in endothelial cells (see the Perspective by Thomas). The integration of reelin signaling in endothelial cells and neurons facilitates the communication between vessels, glia, and neurons that is necessary for the correct positioning of neurons during cortical development. This integration is also impo…
Activation of Corticothalamic Layer 6 Cells Decreases Angular Tuning in Mouse Barrel Cortex.
2019
In the mouse whisker system, the contribution of L6 corticothalamic cells (L6 CT) to cortical and thalamic processing of the whisker deflection direction was investigated. A genetically defined population of L6 CT cells project to infragranular GABAergic interneurons that hyperpolarize neurons in somatosensory barrel cortex (BC). Optogenetic activation of these neurons switched BC to an adapted mode in which excitatory cells lost their angular tuning. In contrast, however, this was not the case with a general activation of inhibitory interneurons via optogenetic activation of Gad2-expressing cells. The decrease in angular tuning, when L6 CT cells were activated, was due to changes in cortic…
Temporal profiling of an acute stress-induced behavioral phenotype in mice and role of hippocampal DRR1.
2018
Abstract Understanding the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the response to an acute stressor may provide novel insights into successful stress-coping strategies. Acute behavioral stress-effects may be restricted to a specific time window early after stress-induction. However, existing behavioral test batteries typically span multiple days or even weeks, limiting the feasibility for a broad behavioral analysis following acute stress. Here, we designed a novel comprehensive behavioral test battery in male mice that assesses multiple behavioral dimensions within a sufficiently brief time window to capture acute stress-effects and its temporal profile. Using this battery, we investigated …
A Predictive Model of the Prevalence of Delirium in Elderly Subjects Admitted to Nursing Homes.
2017
INTRODUCTION Delirium is common in geriatric patients admitted to nursing homes, with an incidence of 22-79% among long-term residents. AIM To establish a predictive model of the risk of delirium episodes in a sample of elderly people living in nursing homes. MATERIAL AND METHODS A retrospective, cross-sectional case-control study covering a period of 12 consecutive months (April 2014 - March 2015) was carried out. The included cases had suffered at least one episode of delirium during the study period. Sociodemographic and clinical variables as well as risk factors predisposing to or triggering episodes of delirium were recorded. RESULTS A total of 193 cases and 123 controls were recruited…
Follicular dendritic cells display microvesicle-associated LMP1 in reactive germinal centers of EBV+ classic Hodgkin lymphoma
2018
Expression of the latent membrane protein-1 (LMP1) of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) was investigated in 153 cases of EBV+ classic Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL); 120 cases were pediatric patients (< 14 years of age) from Iraq, and 33 cases were adult patients from Italy. We describe for the first time the presence of LMP1 protein in EBV-encoded RNA (EBER)-negative follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) of reactive germinal centers (GC) associated with EBV+ cHL. Presence of LMP1+ GCs was independent of geographic region and age of patients. Variable numbers of reactive GCs were present in 22.2% of cases (34 of 153), whereas LMP1 staining of FDCs was present in about a third of cases (10 of 34) with reactiv…
Benign nocturnal alternating hemiplegia of childhood
2018
Objective: To describe the clinical spectrum of benign nocturnal alternating hemiplegia of childhood (BNAHC) including long-term follow-up data of previously published cases and to propose an underlying genetic cause of this disorder. Methods: We studied the medical data of two novel patients, reviewed the literature on BNAHC, and gathered information of the most recent follow-up of published cases regarding the course of episodes, further development, attempted drugs, ancillary investigations, and sequelae. Results: All patients, i.e. two novel cases and twelve patients identified in the literature (13 boys, 1 girl, age at onset four months to three years), experienced episodes of hemipleg…